2011 rides in MD-DC-VA

[7rider]

I think I'm skipping the goose chase this year and might just do a weekend at blackwater with some friends.

Agreed. I think Blackwater's close enough to the DC metro area that many of us can make a day (perhaps a long day) of it and do our own Wild Goose Chase ride....or make a weekend and do a Wild Good multi-sport. Nice that it benefits Friends of Blackwater (does it still?), but that group can be supported in other ways, too.....

[Cataboo]

We should pick a weekend maybe in April/May or Sept and make it a TE get together and/or multisport weekend - do a long ride one day and then if there's any kayakers that want to make a weekend of it, do a paddle the next day.

If there's interest in making it a weekend, there's the usual hotels. I know Kmerzad wants to get in practice camping for eventual bike touring, so we could get a group campsite for near by and camp.

[kmehrzad]

I'm onboard for the ride with friends and an overnight if that's the consensus.

I'm also opting out of the WGC this year.

[withm]

There really aren't any campgrounds near Cambridge. THe closest are Trap Pond in Laurel, DE or Martinak in Denton, MD.

I am always up for a bike ride around Cambridge, Blackwater, St. Michaels, Easton, Oxford.

The beauty of this area is that it's only 2 hrs from the DC area, or from my area. I've been known to go over there to ride by myself on a nice day, or to detour there to ride on my way home from a DC weekend.

Late October does offer spectacular color, but the spring migration is nice too.

I'll probably do Wild Goose, but that's a busy weekend for me. Might have to do it the week after.

[Cataboo]

A couple of my friends camped last year. They stayed at the first, but biked past the 2nd to check it out:

1. Stay close by in a trailer park. The best candidate right now is Madison Bay Campground, 9.4mi 14 min from Blackwater.
4814 Canning House Road Madison, MD 21648 410-228-4111. their description says: Enjoy spacious campsites, boatslips, showers, laundry area, restaurant, and a game room. Call for more information. They do not have a website. I called but got a private voicemail (Candy Hughes).

There are a couple other trailer parks. Taylors Island 14.4mi 22min from Blackwater.
Here is the only review I could find (from a kayaker): Review of Taylors Island campground:
Camping in Dorchester County is limited to three private campgrounds that mostly function as trailer parks, and two of them are on Taylor's Island. Given its tiny marina--a mere notch on the coastline--the Taylor's Island Family Campground ([410] 397-3275) is most convenient for a trip to nearby James Island, and it's but a short drive to the put-in for paddling to Barren Island. Its small area for tent camping is in the marshy pine woods behind the last row of trailers, a short walk to the showers, a convenient store with a liquor license, a pool room, and a shack filled with video-poker machines. The most prevalent patrons here are beer-drinking men in baseball caps telling fish tales by fire pits, their boats nearby, hitched to pickup trucks. But paddlers are more than welcome to join in the fun.

[withm]

A couple of my friends camped last year. They stayed at the first, but biked past the 2nd to check it out:

Its small area for tent camping is in the marshy pine woods behind the last row of trailers, a short walk to the showers, a convenient store with a liquor license, a pool room, and a shack filled with video-poker machines. The most prevalent patrons here are beer-drinking men in baseball caps telling fish tales by fire pits, their boats nearby, hitched to pickup trucks. .

I used to camp at places like that in my younger days. At my ripe old age I now leave places like that to people like them. Oh, and don't forget the mosquitoes!

[divingbiker]

I'm in for the self supported non goose chase, with the paddling option. Hotel only...I'm with withm on no more camping (although I am going to camp while mountain biking in Moab this spring, but I prefer not to think about it yet.)